Mason Jar Gift Ideas

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Mason jars can serve so many purposes. They’re the perfect blank slate for food, crafting, and gifts. Below you’ll find mason jar ideas for Christmas, Chanukah, birthday, or just-because gifts.

The History of the Mason Jar

Back when Mason jars were invented, they were made from a transparent, aqua glass. You can still find aqua mason jars at yard sales and antique stores. Because of their age, it’s probably best not to use them for canning, but they have lots of other uses. I like to use them as vases and oil lamps, or to hold dry food or craft supplies.

John Mason, who invented the jars in 1858, didn’t get a patent on the rubber ring he used to seal them until 10 years later, by which time lots of people were producing mason jars. In 1880, five brothers began producing them under the name of Ball Brothers Manufacturing. The rest, as they say, is history.

Antique Ball jars were made in a variety of colors and shapes, some of which are very valuable to collectors today.

As more and more jars became available, the American diet changed pretty dramatically, as people could eat canned fruits and vegetables year-round. Canning as an activity goes through periods of boom and bust, but Ball jars themselves are never out of style. They are a timeless staple.

Mason jars are made of tempered glass, making them not indestructible, but quite durable, which is why so many very old jars are easily found. While the antiques have their own charm, newer mason jars retain the mix of simplicity and usefulness that made the jars the instant hit they were.

At our house, we use antique Ball, Kerr, and Atlas mason jars as drinking glasses, fill them with leftover soup, arrange pretty things in them, and do lots and lots of canning.

DIY Mason Jar Gifts

Whether you want to craft a mason jar gift or create the perfect mason jar food gift, there are truly endless possibilities. Here are a few ideas to inspire your own creations.

Spa Mason Jar Gift

I recommend using a wide mouth canning jar for this gift, to better fit some fun and pretty self-care products.

These shampoo and conditioner bars from the Package Free shop would make a great foundation in the bottom of the jar. As would this Cocoa Butter Lotion Bar, also from Package Free. Add a refreshing peppermint lip balm, non-toxic nail polish and some reusable cotton face rounds for a DIY spa gift in a jar that will make a gift everyone can enjoy!

To top off your spa mason jar gift, consider using a natural loofah sponge on top of the lid.

Love Notes Mason Jar Gift

It is indeed the thought that counts. Come up with as many things as you can – big and small – that you love about your gift recipient, write them down, and stuff that mason jar tight. You could use handmade recycled paper, cut out into fun shapes, or even take it one step further with seed paper they can plant later for a garden gift that keeps on giving.

Snow Globe Mason Jar Gift

Here’s what you’ll need to make a dry mason jar snow globe:

• Pint-sized mason jar and lid

• Winter miniatures such as pinecones, repurposed old wooden ornaments, trees, snow-people, or other figurines

• Non-toxic glue

• Ribbon

Instructions:

• Glue your collected miniatures to the inside of the mason jar lid. Once dry, screw your lid onto your mason jar. Turn the mason jar upside down and embellish the ring of the lid with your ribbon of choice.

Terrarium Mason Jar Gift

You can make a terrarium with a mason jar in its regular standing position, but I think the upside-down look is more interesting.

What you need to make a mason jar terrarium:

• Mason jar

• Moss

• Very small plants (When purchasing plants, bring a mason jar lid with you to help in choosing the right size.)

• Spray bottle with water

• Optional additions are pebbles, acorns, tiny pine cones, shells, or other small materials found in nature

Instructions:

• Wash your jar thoroughly and be sure to rinse it very well.

• Remove your plant very carefully from its pot and moisten the soil with your spray bottle to prepare it for planting in the mason jar lid.

• Compact the plant’s root ball with your hand. You may need to remove some soil. Your goal is to be sure it will fit on the inside of your mason jar lid and that all the roots will be covered in soil.

• Place the plant on the inside of the lid. The soil should not overflow, and there should be a tiny bit of space around it for other materials.

• Press moss around the edges of the soil, filling the space to the edge of the rim.

• Add pebbles, an acorn, tiny pine cones, or shells if desired.

• Now comes the hard part – placing the jar over the plants. Use one hand to hold the plant upright and guide the branches into the jar. With the other hand, lower the jar over the plant.

• You can just place the jar on top of the lid, but if you’re a bit more daring, you can try to turn the jar onto the lid’s threads. This would make it easier to move around, but if you don’t screw it in you can just hold the lid and jar separately when moving the terrarium, and it will be a bit easier to lift the jar when the soil needs moistening.

• Include a small card with these care instructions with your terrarium gift: “Terrariums do best with bright but indirect light, so they shouldn’t be kept in direct sun. The soil should be checked every few weeks, and should be kept moist, but not wet.”

Sugar Scrub Mason Jar Gift

Mix up a batch of your favorite sugar scrub and fill a mason jar with it! My personal favorite recipe is this Lavender Oat Scrub.

Candle Mason Jar Gift

Who doesn’t want a warm and cozy candle to keep them company through the long winter months? This is more of an advanced gift in a jar project since it requires a fair amount of supplies, but once you have everything you need it’s a fun weekend project that will leave your home smelling amazing! Choose a natural soy wax and phthalate free scents for a non-toxic gift.

Mason Jar Recipe Gifts

Soup in a mason jar

There are tons of incredible recipes for ready to cook soups you can serve your friends and family in the form of a mason jar food gift. Personally, I think an edible gift is one of the best kinds of gifts since it is zero waste and creates a personal experience for the recipient. Layering your ingredients creates an appealing visual effect that is sure to impress! Just be sure to include a tag (either printed or handwritten is fine!) attached to your gift with cooking instructions.

Cookies in a mason jar

If there’s anything better than soup in a mason jar, it’s cookies in a mason jar! The same guidelines apply here. You’ll want to find a recipe that is specifically made to fit inside of a mason jar so the ratios are correct. These mason jar food gift recipes only include the dry ingredients, so the recipient will just need to add whatever milk, eggs, butter or other perishable ingredients can’t be included in the recipe.

Wrapping Your Mason Jar Gifts

You can package your mason jar gift in a reusable gift bag, but here are some prettier options if you feel like getting creative:

Burlap:

Use a Burlap Ribbon to tie a simple bow around the mason jar, or use it to create a sleeve by securing a length of it around the jar with glue.

Tissue paper:

Place your jar on top of a piece of tissue paper, right in the center.

Bring the 4 corners of the tissue paper together above the jar, then gather the excess tissue paper in towards the jar and up.

Use ribbon or raffia to tie the tissue paper to the space between the jar and the lid.

Fabric:

Fabric can be used in just the way I described using tissue paper above, or can be used in the most classic of mason jar decorating methods by covering or replacing the flat part of the lid, underneath the lid’s ring.

To accomplish this, use pinking shears to cut a piece of fabric into a 5 ½ “ square.

Remove the ring from your mason jar, lay the fabric over the lid, and then twist your ring back onto the jar over the fabric. If you’d like to add a bit of dimension, simply place a bit of batting between the lid and the fabric before you secure it.

You can embellish this with a bow tied just below the ring of the lid.

Raffia:

Raffia and mason jars are made for each other. I like to wrap it around multiple times before tying it off.

Ribbon:

Natural, plastic-free ribbons are a great alternative. Use any ribbon or jute twine you like to secure a sprig of evergreen branches to the outside of the jar for a timeless gift accessory.